Major Harvey Johnson with the salvation army said this is a chance for people to embrace our homeless neighbors and be a companion they might need in the midst of difficult times.

"Understanding that homeless people are just like anybody else, you know, they're mamas, they have children. There's adults that meet with disappointments and some failures. There's people with expectations," he said. "There's mamas celebrating mother's day today. So they're just like everyone else and having a chance just to know someone that cares and sit there and have a meal together is very important."

This week The Salvation Army will be thanking the generous donors, businesses and volunteers that have helped them make a difference in our community.

"We're not asking you to volunteer, we're not asking you to cut a check," said Johnson. "We're just asking you to be with us and have lunch and experience community with perhaps people that you would never associate with."

Smollett reported being beaten up by two men who shouted racist and anti-gay slurs and threw bleach on him. But his story fell apart when actors Smollett knew from the "Empire" set and the gym told police that Smollett paid them $3,500 to stage the attack.